Heart of Darkness
by Steeple333
Summary: Who is Dark Link, exactly? What did he think in his room? What would he do after his battle? A view into his character. T for safety.
1. Prolouge

Well, I just popped this out on a whim when I should have been doing homework... . Please drop a review!

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**Dark Reflection**

It happened in the second year of Ganondorf's reign.

It was simple enough: he needed a guardian for the newly conquered Water Temple, a vanguard for Morpha. Ganondorf got a flash of inspiration when he glanced at the water at his feet. A reflection….

Ganondorf immediately made a shadow copy of Link, and created the illusion in a large room. It had the same sword skills as Link, and had the dual properties of a shadow, as well.

It would be a little over five years when this Dark Link would see another soul.

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Dark Link merely sat complacently where he was set in his room. The days and hours passed by unmarked, each the same as the last. Dark Link marked time by when he felt tired and went to sleep, and when he woke up. When he was awake, that was "day". He didn't really know the true meaning of the word, it just was in his mind as the word for when you are awake.

Dark Link thought a great deal, but lack of experience and stimulus made them simple. He thought about his existence. What was a shadow? _In the darkness, a light flashed, and a shadow was born._ Dark Link didn't question these answers. After all, why would he lie to himself? That sentence was the one to make him move. After all, was there a difference between darkness and shadow? He lifted his hand experimentally; a dark smudge the shape of his hand appeared on the ground under it. The smudge was a shadow. Dark Link looked up; there was a false, watery-looking sun, providing light. That was the light source, and his uplifted hand blocked it from that patch of ground. Therefore, a shadow was the absence of light when light is blocked by an object.

If he was a shadow, then whose shadow was he? He turned his head this way and that, neck and shoulders ached slightly from inaction. There was no one there but himself and the dead tree he was leaning against. Dark Link looked up at it. Was he the tree's shadow? Dark Link studied his own shape, then the tree's. No, he could not be the tree's shadow, because he was of a vastly different shape. Dark Link looked back at his outstretched hand. If he had a shadow, how could he be a shadow himself? Dark Link poked himself in the arm to test. Solid. Shadows aren't solid, therefore he wasn't a shadow. Satisfied, Dark Link went to sleep. Night.

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Well, there's a teaser. Please tell me if I should continue! I also need a name for Dark Link! R&R please!


	2. Chapter 1: Beginnings

Hello, Steeple333 here, and here's the first proper chapter of Heart of Darkness! Yay! I'd like to thank all of my reviewers. Also, I've thought of a name now, so you don't have to give me anymore suggestions.

**Elendil Star-Lover**: Thanks These probably will be short, but I'll also update as often as I can.

**little-chibi-girl**: Yeah, Dark Link is an intrigueing character Anyway, I know people usually call him "Dark" but I want to avoid using the norm for his name, and give him an actual name. ;

**Enatze**: Thanks Again, I have a name picked out. Thank you for the compliments -

**BatNeko**: Yay! You've reviewed me fic! o And there won't be as much angst as all that...

1010101

**Chapter 1: Beginnings **

Dark Link opened his eyes. Day. He looked at the ground he was sitting on, a lone island with the dead tree. Dark Link examined the ground. It was light brown. He scooped up a little with his hand and rubbed it between his fingers. It felt very grainy, and it stuck to his hand. Dark Link looked at where the ground went under the water.

Dark Link stood up. His legs felt stiff and weak from inactivity, so he stretched a little before doing anything else. After that, he walked to the edge of his island. He peered over, and immediately fell back in surprise. There was someone there! Dark Link peered again, but cautiously this time. There it was. A pair of red eyes in a dark face, looking at him. They looked at each other for a while, neither moving. Dark Link then put his hand to wave, but the other waved his hand too. Dark Link furrowed his brow, and the other person did so as well. Dark Link tilted his head in confusion, and the other person mimicked him.

Then Dark Link tried to poke him, to get him to stop imitating him. Instead of touching a face, his finger touched something cool and the face was lost in gentle ripples. Dark Link touched the surface again. It made a second ripples, circling outward. Dark Link plunged his hand in, and felt sand at the bottom after a splash. Dark Link stood up again and walked to the surface. His black leather boots made a soft splashing noise as he walked. Dark Link stopped when he reached a door. It had steel bars going down from it, so he couldn't open it. But what was the point of opening a door that didn't lead anywhere? Dark Link couldn't see anything but more mist and water beyond it.

Dark Link sat on the door's threshold. His boots were wet. He waited for the ripples from his walk to disappear, and looked back into the water. He could see his own face for the first time. It was a pleasant face to look at, or at least Dark Link thought so. He had brown skin, rather like those people that were with Ganondorf shortly after he was made. Dark Link gazed at his reflection with bright red eyes. His hair was black, just like his clothes. Dark Link stared at his appearance for a little while longer, and then stood up. He walked over to the water again, and made his way back to the island. He noticed that there was another object in the distance. He made his way toward it; it was another door to nowhere. Dark Link tried to look behind it, but when he walked to the side of the doorframe, he was knocked back. Dark Link looked around.What had hit him? There wasn't any obstacle he could see. Dark Link went slowly toward the space where he was hit. He bumped against something. He put his hand out, and he felt something hard and cold. But Dark Link could only see air and mist and water. Dark Link pushed against the hard and cold surface, but it stayed. Dark Link put his other hand to it, and started fanning his hands outward, feeling for an edge. He stretched his hands as far as they would go, but there was more invisible surface. Dark Link stepped to the right, but the surface continued. So he took another step. Then another. Then another. Dark Link's hands met with another surface perpendicular with the first one: a corner. Eventually, Dark Link came to three more corners, and was back where he started.

So, he was surrounded by invisible walls. Dark Link sat under the dead tree and pondered about this. Why was he contained in one spot? Dark Link tried to recall what Ganondorf said… "You are to kill anyone that comes through the doors." That's what it was. And killing was… sticking your sword into someone until they stopped moving. But how could a sword do that? Dark Link pulled out his own sword. It was just a sharp piece of metal, really, with a handle. Maybe it's magic and freezes people when you stick them with it. But what should he do with the person after they stop moving? Should he help them go back where they came from? Anyway, how could someone come through doors that didn't lead anywhere? What's so special here, of all places? Maybe the tree is magical.

Dark Link walked out into the water. He kneeled down and touched it with his hand. The water was opaque. It was white, and it seemed to have no depth to it, but it rippled when Dark Link touched it. He dragged his hand through the water, watching the ripples it made. He had a strange urge… to…

Dark Link plunged into the water. He had expected a splash, but there was none. He just slipped into the water, without even a ripple. He felt strange as he hung below the surface. Light, like mist. Maybe that's why he could float through the solid bit. Maybe he became a shadow just to do it. He didn't feel solid, after all. He just hung in the clear white water. He drifted for a bit, but he bumped into the walls. Dark Link went up. He seemed to be solid again, and he was standing the on the water at the edge of the room. So he could go into the solid water…

Dark Link walked back to the tree and sat down underneath it. All that movement made him tired, so he went to sleep. Night.

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And Dark Link discovers his ability to jump in the water. 3 Oh, for clarification, he's about 13-14 or so.

Please review!


	3. Chapter 2: Encounter

Whoot! Anouther chapter! I've found out that I write best in class. OO but don't worry, my dears, I'm paying attention! I just need to multitask. And do something with my hands. Anyway, onto Reader Response!

**Elendil Star-Lover**: Ack, sorry. ; I hope I've changed that this chapter. Thanks for the heads-up! b

**Little-chibi-girl**: Thanks! I hope this satiates you for now.

**Disclaimer**: I merely own Zelda games and a couple strategy guides. Not the franchise. I just writing.

Chapter 2: Encounter

Years passed. Day after day after day of the same thing, in and out, in and out. Always the dead tree, always the mist, always the water it rested on. Always the invisible walls, always the locked doors, always the vague yearning for something unknown. Dark Link didn't know what he hungered for, when the days seemed to stretch on forever. He mostly lay under his magic tree, or dissolved into the water. He didn't walk much, as it tired him out. There were also days when the yearning became stronger, and he started pounding, scratching, banging at the doors, the walls, any boundary he could find in his madness. Of course, it subsided, like most of his silly urges. After all, no one could come through a door to nowhere.

It was a sound he had never heard before. Something smooth, quick, and a little grating. Dark Link hid in the shadow of the magic tree, to see what had caused that strange sound. He didn't have long to wait, as another sound, a creaking, and the unexpected happened: a person walked from the now open door.

How could this happen? That door didn't lead anywhere… and this person…

He looked like Dark Link. The colors were different, but he looked like him. Strange. And he had a bobbing ball of light with wings with him, too. And they were both talking, while the man walked through the room, examining it.

"I don't know, Navi, but we're still under the lake, the Water Temple doesn't go to the surface."

Water Temple...? What's that?

"Link," the light – Navi – said, "I know that, but this sure isn't like any of the other rooms."

Link… so that was his name…

Link walked across to the second door, and then turned to the talking light, "Navi, the door's locked."

It's always been locked.

Navi fluttered in an irritated fashion, Obviously, Link. We probably need to solve another puzzle or fight something to get out."

But there isn't a way out. I'm been trying for a long time…

"I'm sorry, Navi." Link said, looking around, "But there aren't any monsters here, and only the doors and that tree."

What's a monster?

"Well, maybe the tree holds the answer to moving forward! C'mon, Link!" the light flew over, trailing sparkles, over to the magic tree where I hid, then faced Link. "Hurry! Hey-!" The light bumped into Dark Link, and he fell.

"What is..?" Link said, wondering.

There was an eternity held that moment, the two reflected images staring at each other. Colored original and unique sepia. Dark and Fair stood silent in contemplation of the parallel faces.

Link broke the moment first, drawing his sword with a _shing_ from its scabbard. Dark Link remembered Ganondorf's words "kill whomever comes". That meant sticking his sword in until they stopped. Dark Link mimicked his duplicate, drawing his own dark sword. He never really paid attention to his blade, only bringing it out once in awhile to ponder at the power to immobilize people. Even their swords and shields were similar, only Dark Link's were black, while Link's were in color. Were all people on the other side of the door so colorful?

He didn't think any more, for Link had charged, sword flashing. Dark Link dodged – he was trying to stop him! He didn't want to stop now – and he delivered a blow in return, only to be blocked with the lighter's shield. They both broke apart, testing each other. Link again tried to drive his sword through the dark one, but every time one slashed, the other parried; when one thrust, the other dodged; when one attacked, the other blocked.

It went on for an hour, going back and forth across the watery floor. Any ground one gained was soon lost to the other. They were evenly matched. Or at least with the sword.

Link shifted his footing; Dark Link reacted appropriately, shifting his own weight. He didn't know where he learned to fight, it seemed to come from inside him, some impulse that come from within; it was next to the place where the yearning came from. Link cautiously danced a little out of sword reach. He seemed to be waiting for something.

Then the pin dropped. Link brought something from within the pack that would normally be underneath his shield. It was a small glass prism, with a red fire within it. He threw it to the ground in a burst of light and flames. The light quickly dissipated, but the flames grew stronger and the radius of it grew at a rapid rate, faster then Dark Link could run away. He tried to put up his shield in an effort to make a small defense rather than a futile retreat. However, the red flames burst beyond the protective barrier of his shield and he got the full blast. Dark Link screamed from the searing pain, the flames licking his rapidly blistering skin. With more instinct then thought, he plunged himself in the cool water, dissolving into its pale marble depths.

He vaguely noticed that Link was wondering where his enemy had gone. Dark Link waited for the water to sooth his scorched and burned skin to a tolerable level before floating back up to the surface, behind Link. He nearly ran Link through, but Navi alerted him with a "behind you!". They both fell back into the swordplay pattern for a short time, but then Link seemed to weaken. His attacks were a mite slower, his steps a little heavier; he looked nervous but steeled to fight on. Dark Link pressed on sharply, but the Hero of Time managed to avoid the dusky blade. Link retreated, rapidly stepping back. But Dark Link was now quicker, and was gaining on the retreat. Link was backed up against the magic tree. Dark Link was about to pin him with his sword, but something happened. Link, with a small smile, thrust his hand back into the pack on his back. But instead of the glass prism, he pulled out an immense and heavy hammer. Dark Link tried to run, but Link was quicker on the grainy island. Dark Link had an advantage on the smooth water, where Link could slip; Link had an advantage on the rough sand, where Dark Link was slower.

Dark Link fell into a panic and started running around the magic tree, with Link closing in on his heels, half dragging the massive hammer. It would have been comical, one chasing the other around and around a dead tree. Link finally caught up with the slower duplicate, and slammed down hard with the hammer. It caught Dark Link on the leg, and there was a sickening double _crunch_ as both his right tibia and fibula were smashed. Blood flowed like dark wine as Dark Link let out a scream from the pain and fell. He lay in the sand that was rapidly turning russet, whimpering from the blood that poured and the fragments of bone that jabbed through his flesh. Dark Link dropped his sword, hardly aware of the action, and cradled his shattered shin, while Link stood, looking down.

It was… strange. Every other opponent Link had faced never acted so… human. Link felt a small pang of sympathy as he watched the dark one writhe with the pain of the bone shards tearing through his flesh. "Link…" Navi said, silently reminding him. Link nodded; he had to finish this. Link brought his sword up before impaling Dark Link through the chest. Dark Link stopped moving, and stared up at the one who has run him through. Another eternal moment occurred, Dark Link saying with his eyes a question to which Link could not answer.

Why..?

With one swift smooth sound, the bars raised up from both of the doors. Turning, Link walked away from the only enemy Link regretted to fight.

Dark Link lay in a pool of his own blood, breath ragged. Was this what stopping meant? He felt weak, and he hurt so much. He saw blood once before, when he was looking at his sword; he had cut his finger, and with the sting came the vermillion liquid. This was much worse. A lot of blood had poured out of him, with more seeping through. His leg was a mass of agony, and his chest hurt as well. While his chest wound was bleeding, his leg bled much more. Dark Link wanted the pain to stop. With much protest from his body, he managed to drag himself toward the water. The cool, white water…

Wait, where was it? Where'd the blue stone come from? Where'd the magic tree go? How did he get here? From his reclining position, Dark Link tried to find some common landmark. The doors. The doors were the same.

…So the water was an illusion. He was in a room this whole time. It didn't matter, really. He was burned, crushed and stabbed. Dark Link didn't know why, but he felt like something was going to come… going to come… going… to…

Dark Link closed his eyes, which looked so much like his blood.

_Now go back, to regain your lost time!_

Who...? Who had… said that? Go back where? To what? I… Where was I, anyway? Oh… the other man… the one who looked like me, and his ball of light… Link and Navi, those were their names. And they fought, too. Why did they have to fight? No reason, really. Now I remember… the fire, the hammer… and that sword. But I'm not in pain…

Dark Link opened his eyes. He saw blue stone. He just lay there awhile, collecting his thoughts and staring at the ceiling. The ceiling that used to be a sky, on a floor that used to be water, on a spot where a magic tree and its island were.

Dark Link sat up. He didn't hurt anymore. In fact, the blood was all gone. Dark Link checked for injuries. There was no trace of the blisters on his brown skin, no hole in his chest, and his leg was whole. But something was odd. He felt… different. Not bad or hurt, but different. What could it be?

Dark Link stood up, and immediately realized what had felt so odd. He was smaller.

**A/N**: Yay! Happy. Oh, in case you didn't know, the tibia is the shin bone, and the fibula is the other bone. Sorry, that was anatomy kicking it. ; I really like that class… Anyway, thanks for all of your reviews! So please drop some more, 'k?


	4. Chapter 3: Facing the World

Yay, I updated! For those that care, I'm writing CyberEpi and TW, but I can only write on at a time, so... yeah. ; So, without furthur ado, the third chapter of Heart of Darkness! o

Chapter 3: Facing the World

Dark Link examined himself; he felt and looked smaller, and shorter. A bit pudgier, too. Dark Link walked over to one of the doors. He marked his own growth by cutting on the doorjamb. Those marks were gone, without a trace. Also…. The iron bars were gone. Nothing was keeping him here…

Dark Link put his hand on the doorknob. It was strange, this sudden change of perspective. He would have to adjust. Slowly, Dark Link turned the knob. It clicked; unlocked. Dark Link paused. What would be on the other side of the door? Would it be more colorful to his gray-accustomed eyes? Dark Link couldn't think of what could lie behind the door, so he pushed forward and opened the door.

Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't that. Dark Link's jaw dropped. There was a person on the other side, but a very strange person! He was all white, and had opaque black eyes. He also had strange protrusions from his limbs and head, and they were speckled with blue. The person seemed to be just as surprised as Dark Link.

"Who are you? How did you get here?" the person asked, kneeling down to Dark Link's eye level, "Are you lost?"

"Um…" Dark Link looked down. How could he answer? Maybe… "I got lost. I can't find the way out." It was true enough,

The person sighed, "I guess you swam down here for fun and forgot your way," he said, half to Dark Link and half to himself, "Ok, kid, I'll escort you out. Just don't disturb the priests, alright?" 1

"Thank you. I'm sorry." Dark Link said.

The person smiled, "Heh, which one?" he said as he started walking.

"Both."

The pair walked through the temple, sometimes wading when the water level rose. When their path was blocked by deep water, the strange person would find another route for the boy's convenience. Eventually, the pair was in front of the waterlogged entrance. The strange person turned to the boy. "Can you swim out of here?" he asked.

"Yeah." Dark Link said.

"Alright." He turned to leave.

"Oh, wait, I want to ask you something." Dark Link said, an outreached hand hanging in the air.

He turned, "Yes?"

"What are you? I've never seen anything like you before."

The strange person started, "You made it that far and avoided everyone?" he sighed and shook his head, "boy, I'm a Zora. We control Zora River, the main water source. Did you live under a rock?"

"No, under a tree." Dark Link shrugged, "well, thank you, goodbye." And he dove into the water without another word.

Dark Link plunged into the cool water, comforted by the familiar sensation. He immediately dissolved into it. This water was the same in composition as the white water in his room, but it was different. It was clear, and so much of it! Dark Link floated through the open doorway, and looked at the vast expanse of water. The bottom had plants and rocks, the horizon was lost in the haze of blue. Dark Link was startled when little darts of silver blue flitted past. He looked closer at the passing things, and studied their appearance. What strange creatures! Rather like Zora, but their limbs were different, less substantial… they were little sheets on their sides! They were rather flat, he decided as he followed them, peering at them. They has little slits on their… necks? Bodies? It doesn't really matter, he decided at last, floating up toward the surface, toward the true sun…

He let out a gasp as he broke the surface, solid as soon as he touched air. He was still in the water, so he became sopping wet. Treading water, he saw an islet close by, and swam to it. He climbed out of the water and looked around, blinking in the bright sun.

_Things really are more colorful_ he thought to himself. The sun was yellow, and the great… lake was blue, and he was sitting on short little green plants that were interspersed with different flowers. One type was ball-shaped, a little white flower; the leaves were divided into three heart-shaped parts. Anouther kind had little white flowers, with little petals that were pink underneath, all attached to a thing with yellow dust. Dark Link lay in the… grass for a while, examining the plants and flowers. He looked at a flower with (comparatively) large glossy yellow petals, when he heard a soft humming. He looked around in the immediate area, and a small fat something landed on a yellow flower. It was yellow and black and fuzzy and fat, and it crawled around in the flower, its little legs powdered by the yellow dust. It stopped, raised its delicate little wings, and it buzzed off to the next flower to repeat the process.

The young boy watched this creature for a while, then noticed a little orange-red bug land on his stationary hand. Dark Link brought his hand closer to his face for further inspection. This creature was the same color as Link's fire, with a black and white head and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven little black dots. Its black little legs crawled along his hand, the flame color contrasting with his brown skin. Its reddish back split in two and folded out, and beat little wings like the yellow and black buzzing thing, and flew away. Dark Link watched it fly for a bit, then settled back in the grass to observe the bright colors once more.

He found one more creature crawling along the ground; it was small, and its body was made up of three parts. It was a dark black-brown and was crawling quickly along with one, two… many of identical things. Unlike the Flame-Colored creature or the Buzzer, this had no wings, but it sped along the earth much faster then the flying creatures could. This creature, this Crawler, seemed to have many more friends as well.

"Admiring nature, m'boy?" a slightly frail voice asked.

Startled, Dark Link jumped up at once turning around to find the speaker. It was an old man, wearing blue. He was smiling. Dark Link took this to be a reassuring sign. People smiled when they were happy, right? He decided that he needed to respond. "I was looking at the plants and creatures." He said.

The old man looked at him quizzically, "And what manner of creatures might those be?" he asked.

Dark Link shifted his weight, "Well, I was looking at the plants and flowers, and at two flying creatures and a crawling one."

"And what would those be? Describe them."

When Dark Link did, he looked thoughtful. "Most people know those 'creatures' as a bumble bee, a ladybug, and an ant, respectively. It is most odd that you've never seen them before."

The boy looked down, scuffing his feet, "I'm sorry, I didn't know their names. I've never been here before, and they were interesting."

"Quite alright." The old man said, "I was going to enjoy the scenery myself."

"Alright, but I'm going to go explore." Dark Link said, then walked off.

He walked across a long bridge to a smaller isle; this one had a strange rock on it. Dark Link examined it; it was wedge-shaped and white, with little inscriptions on the top. Dark Link wished he could understand what the inscriptions meant, but a few minutes' staring revealed nothing. Oh well. He could solve this mystery later.

In the meanwhile, he wanted to explore. He passed over another bridge to a white building. It was much smaller then the Water Temple, but it had a tall tower with a ladder on the far side, as he discovered when he went around the left side. There was a stream nearby with a natural bridge, and on the far side, there was a strange white stone. It was round, but not a circle. It looked rather pocket-shaped, with the "opening" in the ground. There was a strange pattern carved into it, with a staring eye inscribed on it. Curious, Dark Link reached a hand out to touch it; it instantly contorted up and down causing him to fly back in surprise. "Ding Dong! Ding Dong! The current time is 10:29:53!" It said.

"Wh… what was that?" he murmur to himself as he stared at the strange, talking, time-telling stone. He stared at it, at the twisting "handle" and the pointy triangles of the eye pattern. He poked the stone again.

"Ding Dong! Ding Dong! The current time is 10:31:34!"

Poke.

"Ding Dong! Ding Dong! The current time is 10:31:42!"

Poke.

"Ding Dong! Ding Dong!" The current time is 10:32:02!"

Satisfied that it gave the same reaction each time, Dark Link walked away from the stone, the building, and the lake, and followed a worn path. He walked along for a few minutes. There were few fences a short distance away, so he climbed over the first one that blocked his path. He walked across the small enclosure, but in the middle his feet tamped down on an odd patch of ground. Dark Link stopped; he walked over the odd patch a few times, and determined that the patch was about two feet in diameter. Dark Link kneeled down and felt it with his hands. It felt like there was a patch of earth denser then the surrounding area over a hollow of some sort. Dark Link took his sword and plunged it into the earth. He felt the tip move around in an empty space; there was a hollow.

Dark Link dug down into the dirt. He used his sword to stab into the dirt to loosen it, then used his shield to scoop away the loose dirt. Working away in this method for five minutes, he managed to make a hole big enough for him to slip into, which he promptly did.

Dark Link dropped down onto his knees, and let out a gasp when he saw what he landed on: it was a small circular raised dais that gleamed in varied iridescent colors in the light that streamed down from the hole he had made. It was so beautiful. Dark Link stared into its depths, watching the bright pastel colors swirl lazily around beneath his brown knees. His gaze was then broken by an insect flying by his vision. Dark Link turned his head toward the movement. It was a pretty insect, with large bright yellow and black wings. It floated lazily around the shaft of light, then landed on a blade of grass. Dark Link stood stock still, gazing at the insect.

Anouther one floated by, and landed on his outstretched hand. Very carefully, he drew his hand closer to his face and inspected the insect. This insect was blue, and it flapped its wings, which glimmered dully in the light. Its face was strange compared to the wings, with large bulbous eyes, but there was a sort of elegance in the curl protruding from its face. This too fluttered off, so Dark Link stood up to explore the rest of the cave.

The cave was dim, which was to be expected, but Dark Link's eyes adjusted quickly. The colorful dias was in a small off-branch of the room, with a small step. The rest of the cave was a room with leaves, moss and grasses on the floor. The earthy walls were quite straight, and more moss clung to the ceiling. It was as if someone had carved a room into the ground, so precise were the angles of the room. At the far side was a clump of leaves, perhaps a bush. Dark Link walked toward it, when something jumped out of the ground. The clump he had taken for a bush was attached via a sturdy stem to an odd creature that seemed to be made of wood; it had a round tube-like mouth and glowing eyes that blinked out from the darker wood near the stem. Dark Link stared at this creature, but a "boomf" sound and something hit him; the creature shot something at him! The creature bopped out another projectile, but Dark Link was ready: he blocked it with his shield and it bounced back right into the creature.

"Ow!" it squeaked, jumping out of the ground, revealing wooden limbs, "That hurt!"

"Well, you did shoot that thing at me." Dark Link responded.

"Yes, yes…" the creature gave a long-suffering sigh, "I suppose your actions are justified, but we Deku Scrubs have a nasty habit to spit nuts when speak, particularly when we first emerge from our tunnels."

"What's a Deku Scrub?" Dark Link asked, cocking his head and putting away his shield.

The Deku Scrub shook his head indignantly, "I am a Deku Scrub, sir. We normally live in the woods, but a number of us do go out as merchants, as I do."

"Then why were you in a hidden cave?"

"This is a resting area for traveling Deku Scrubs like myself. If you found this rest area, then you must be an adventurer, correct?"

"I see." Dark Link said, "I suppose I am. I'm traveling right now."

The Deku Scrub said, "Splendid, splendid. I recently came into a new item, perhaps you'll be interesting to buy it? It's a Red Potion, quite effective for treating all manners of physical wounds and sicknesses. It's cheap today for only 45 Rupees. How about it?"

"That sounds nice, " Dark Link said, sitting down, "But I don't have any Rupee things."

"Are you foreign?"

"Foreign?"

The Deku Scrub sighed, "Are you from another country? Hyrule and a great number of the surrounding lands use Rupees, hexagonal gems that are abundant and in different colors. It's our monetary system. You won't make it far if you have no money."

"Gems…" Dark Link dug in his pockets and retrieved a small bag. He emptied some of its contents into his palm, "Are these Rupees?" he asked. 2

"Yes." The Deku Scrub said, 3 "Those green ones are the basic unit. You can't get much with only one Rupee. The blue ones are worth five green Rupees, the yellow ones here are worth ten green Rupees, these red ones worth twenty, and those purple ones worth fifty. There are also silver ones worth one hundred, gold Rupees worth two hundred, and oranges worth five hundred, but those are rare, so I doubt you'll see any." 4

"Thank you for teaching me, Mr…."

"Gasem. It's no trouble at all. Everyone needs help sometimes." Gasem said kindly. He became business-like and repeated, "So, would you like to buy the Red Potion?"

Dark Link pondered for a moment, and said, "I would, but I don't have anything to store it in."

"Ah, but that's where Fortune smiles again! I'm also selling this bottle for a measly twenty Rupees! How about it? The bottle and the potion for sixty five Rupees?"

Dark Link counted out a purple Rupee and three blue ones and handed it to Gasem. Gasem quickly filled a bottle with Red Potion. "Thank you for your business." Gasem prepared to leave, but Dark Link grabbed him.

"Wait," he said, "how did you know I was here?"

"I could feel the vibrations of your digging and of your footsteps through the earth. Quite simple, really."

Dark Link's eyes widened in amazement, "You can do that?"

Gasem smiled with a hint of smugness, "Yep. Few people realize it, but that's how it's done. Now, I really must go; I'm much delayed already, and I plan to get to Kakariko by nightfall."

"Wait, how can I find you again?"

"Oh, I'll be setting up shop in the town, ask around and you'll find me. I'll be bringing new goods to an untapped customer base!" he said to himself with glee as he burrowed back down.

Dar Link, not seeing anything else in the rest area, moving back to the dais and stepped on top of it. Immediately, he was engulfed in a bright light accompanied by a floating sensation. Next thing he knew, he was on the grass of the field. Dark Link looked around. South of his direction was the lake, and away to the east was a forest. To the north was a black block of what could have been a fence or buildings, and farther north was a large mountain. Without further thought, he made his way toward the black splotch.

1 Well, it _is_ a temple…

2 If you get 2-3 red Rupees, I'm gonna assume Dark Link has some.

3 Anyone else would be surprised at the amount, but the Deku Scrub is a merchant, so even if he hasn't seen that much, he would keep his poker face, right?

4 I cobbled together this standard largely based on OoT, MM, and WW. Just to make a standard.

I hate passive voice, seriously. It sometimes sounds better with it, so don't give me that green squiggle, Word! Grr.

Anyway, it was really fun to write this. The description was fun. I hope none of you guys found this chapter boring because of lack of action… but this is his first time outside the room, so he's bound to be curious, right?

I also like Gasem. Typical merchant-type, but I like him. He's nice. Also, perhaps I should explain something. Since this takes place after the game, Ganondorf's rule never happened, and Hyrule Castle Town was never decimated, ergo Kakariko didn't replace it as the epicenter of trade. So Gasem will, as he said, tap into a new consumer base. Hehehe.

One reviewed said she (?) liked how Dark Link perceived things, "sweet and innocent" she called it. Well, now you can see more of his mad analytical skillz. XD That aside, please review and tell me what you think. For some reason, I have trouble with pronoun and name balance with this fic. But only this fic. OO WTF, yo. Anyway, I think I solved it. A big thank you to each and every one to my lovely reviewers. , For those of you who don't have an FF account, PLEASE leave your email, so I can contact you, since won't allow Reviewer Response. ;; Damn. Ah well.

Leave a contact and review! DDD


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